Khruangbin – Brooklyn Bowl – February 22, 2017

NASA announced Wednesday that it had discovered seven new exoplanets, some of which could potentially sustain life. Is it a coincidence that on the very same day Khruangbin appeared in Brooklyn, laying down a set of their extraterrestrial grooves for a sold-out Brooklyn Bowl? Does seem suspicious. Looking otherworldly and playing music that might very well come from another solar system where love and peace reign supreme, the actually-from-Austin, Texas, trio were in fine form last night. From the opening slow funk of “August Twelve,” the crowd was locked in, beamed up into Khruangbin’s spaceship bathed in kaleidoscope hues, ready to be probed, prodded and fully funkified.

It’s no easy task to find a completely unoccupied space in the musical spectrum, but Khruangbin have always felt perfectly situated in a just-groovy-enough, not-too-loud/not-too-soft, not-too-fast/not-too-slow space that no one else seems to have discovered yet. On repeated trips back to New York City, each time hopping up a level in crowd size and intensity, the trio has found ways to shed their alien skin, revealing something more elaborate and exciting beneath. On Wednesday, guitarist Mike Speer was given room for hairier solos than the last few area gigs, drummer Donald Johnson Jr. and bassist Laura Lee showing tour-tested comfort in giving him full freedom to explore.

The set gained propulsive energy as it went along, mostly songs from their breakout album, The Universe Smiles Upon You, highlighted by the zigzag melodies of “People Everywhere (Still Alive)” and the out-of-plane weirdness of “Dern Kala.” In a room that can sometimes swallow the more subtle acts, Khruangbin were ferociously funky, overwhelming Brooklyn Bowl as if it were only a pit stop on the way to something bigger. Thankfully for the crowd, the band’s phasers were merely set to stun—because they might not be so lucky next time. —A. Stein | @Neddyo

Rising up from Birmingham, England, protest-minded Steel Pulse have been known across the world for their take on roots, reggae and dub (not to mention jazz and Latin music) for more than 40 years. Their debut LP, Handsworth Revolution (stream it below)—named after the band’s hometown—arrived in 1978. According to AllMusic, it’s “about politics first and religion second, with a quick nod to the dance and another to the herb and not a single love lyric to be found anywhere. This gives the music a certain intellectual urgency, and the band’s instrumental virtuosity is impressive given its youth and relatively inexperience.” Their sixth studio full-length, Babylon the Bandit (stream it below), out in ’86, won the Best Reggae Album Grammy the following year, making Steel Pulse (above, performing “Steppin’ Out”) the only non-Jamaican act to win the award. Of course, the lineup has changed over the years but founding member David Hinds (vocals and guitar) remains onboard, joined by Selwyn Brown (keys and vocals), Sidney Mills (keys and vocals), Amlak Tafari (bass), Wayne Clarke (drums), Keysha McTaggart (vocals) and Jerry Johnson (sax). And, as ever, Steel Pulse remain an energetic live force, repping reggae everywhere they go. The band’s winding down a U.S. tour this week, and you can catch them tonight and tomorrow at Brooklyn Bowl and on Thursday at the Space at Westbury.

More than three decades ago, Dave Pirner (vocals and guitar) formed Soul Asylum in Minneapolis. The band found modest success with their first five albums before blowing up big time and becoming alt-rock darlings with the release of 1992’s triple-platinum Grave Dancers Union (stream it below)—and its huge sing-along hits, “Runaway Train,”“Somebody to Shove” and “Black Gold.” Since then, although the lineup, still anchored by Pirner, has changed, Soul Asylum (above, performing “Black Gold” for Minnesota Public Radio 89.3 FM) have remained active, touring and recording. Their 10th full-length album, the well-received Delayed Reaction (stream it below), came out in 2012. Per the A.V. Club, “With Delayed Reaction, whatever lingering bewilderment and bitterness Pirner felt about success seems to have vanished. In its place is a classic Soul Asylum record: scrappy, aching and only a little worse for the wear.”

That the Meat Puppets are still around is something of a miracle. Brothers Curt (vocals and guitar) and Cris Kirkwood (bass) and Co. have been making their own brand of psychedelic- and roots-influenced punk for more than 35 years—with the occasional hiatus, breakup or prison stint getting in the way—inspiring and influencing the likes of bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pavement. Like their current tour mates, Soul Asylum, the Meat Puppets (below, doing “Plateau” live in the Bing Lounge) have also remained relevant by continuing to release new music, including their 14th LP, Rat Farm, out in 2013. “It’s dizzying psychedelic country in finest Meat Puppets tradition,” according to the Independent, “full of slightly off-centre harmonies in Grateful Dead manner, and plenty of Kirkwood’s swirling, trippy guitar.” Catch both bands tomorrow night at Brooklyn Bowl and on Monday at The Bowery Ballroom.

Take Me to the River – Brooklyn Bowl – February 11, 2015

Last night Brooklyn Bowl hosted a celebration of the rich musical history of Memphis, Tenn., in conjunction with Take Me to the River, a new documentary that traces the roots of the incredible blues, soul and R&B that originated in the city and shows how new generations of artists are carrying on and reinventing this musical legacy. That legacy was on display last night, beginning with the Hi Rhythm Section—musicians who once backed Al Green among many others—performing as the house band for the night.

Greensky Bluegrass – Brooklyn Bowl – January 29, 2015

(Photo: Chris Monaghan)

“We’re a bluegrass band.” That’s what members of Greensky Bluegrass kept announcing between songs at last night’s sold-out show at Brooklyn Bowl. At first, I was like, “Duh, it’s in your name!” But after a few decidedly out-there jams, I finally picked up on the very bluegrass joke. They definitely have the proper instrumentation (banjo, guitar, dobro, mandolin, bass), and they can play comfortably in the genre—but Greensky Bluegrass were playing with a jam-band style in rock club beneath a light show suitable for an EDM show. (Yes, Greensky Bluegrass are one of the few bands I’ve seen bring their own lighting rig.)

The set began with a dobro-heavy “Just to Lie” that showed off their abilities in the standard-bluegrass region before quickly going off course into a darker, minor-key piece with the lights following suit. This led to some deep hallucinogenic jamming that featured excellent playing from each of the band’s instrumentalists, with multiple build-and-release moments that prompted a healthy “whoop” from the packed house. Twenty minutes later, the opening sequence finally came to a climactic end. The crowd and band now settled in, Greensky crafted a two-set show filled with genre-straddling songs and jams, deftly flipping between the more traditional and progressive and whatever it is that’s beyond that. The lights followed suit, zipping through all of the colors of the rainbow and beyond, sometimes in unexpected combinations—an apt visual metaphor for the music being made. NYC jam-guest extraordinaire Eric Krasno came out for the first-set-closing cover of Norton Buffalo’s “Ain’t No Bread in the Breadbox,” a song made popular by Jerry Garcia but perfectly suited for a duel between dobro player Anders Beck and Krasno.

Things got even deeper during the second set, which opened with a dark, country-rock “Bring Out Your Dead.” The second guest of the night, Andy Falco of the Infamous Stringdusters, came out to help on Bill Monroe’s “Working on a Building,” yellow spotlights emanating from the stage like beams from the sun, before jamming out admirably on a David Grisman number. Throughout the second set, Greensky Bluegrass started in a place that felt recognizably connected to bluegrass but would then venture far into something different. The closing song was a prime example, the music dipped into an almost trance jam before returning to the theme and then running off again exploring in impressive fashion. The encore seemed designed to ground everyone again, Greensky calling out Krasno once more to help with a cover of the Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rider,” the crowd singing along at full volume, and the bluegrass band doing a pretty good Southern rock impression with a little help from their friend.—A. Stein | @Neddyo